fleurfairy Reviews

Giada Entertains (2016– )

Another half-baked show

[2/10 · 3 March 2016]

Really who can differentiate between all these shows that Food Network stars have? They are all exactly the same. This is yet another version of Giada with an "entertaining" angle. As opposed to her previous shows which had her....entertaining for friends and family. Frankly, it becomes less and less about the actual cooking and more about how toothy her smile is and how low her necklines are. Giada initially marketed herself as the American authority on Italian cooking and when she first started out, her show was informative and professional. I guess one too many execs at FN told her that she was attractive because her show became a veritable 30-minute selfie. I've never seen someone so obsessed with showing their cleavage. I can't imagine she has any desire to be taken seriously as a chef. Where is Julia Child when you need her?

Dead of Winter: The Donner Party (2015 TV Movie)

A respectable re-telling of the nightmarish saga

[7/10 · 6 January 2016]

I knew the story of the Donner Party: a group of pioneers in hope of a "better" life in California set out on a fool's errand using the unreliable advice of a scam artist and their own fortitude to survive in the most unbearable conditions a human could imagine.

If you want a comprehensive and much more historical documentary of this story, I would suggest PBS's American Experience: The Donner Party which was made maybe 20 years ago but is excellent. American Experience captured the moral and religious parts, the hopelessness, and the heartache, that The Weather Channel omitted.

This being a Weather Channel production, it is focused mainly on the weather and environmental conditions that drove these people to the absolute brink. And because of the scientific info contained in this documentary (temperatures, day count, and snowfall amounts), I think it's a very worthy and educational film.

We complain when the walk from the front door to our car is too cold. Or when our houses don't have central air. I don't know if anyone living on this earth today truly knows what cold or hot is, after seeing what these people faced, first in the desert then in the hellish mountains. These pioneers went through something the likes of which very few of us can ever imagine. And half of them survived which is an absolute miracle. It is a testament to the strength and sheer will our forefathers possessed. And how weak we modern folk seem in comparison. Riveting viewing.

Dracula (2013–2014)

Fresh, sexy, and fun

[9/10 · 21 November 2013]

Dracula is a new take on an old tale. I don't remember enough of Bram Stoker's novel to be bothered by any deviations this show makes from the source material. I love it. The actors are beautiful, the costuming is colorful and over-the-top, the sets are gorgeous and the story is absorbing. JRM is one of my favorite actors working today. He captures these historical figures so well and it's hard to tear your eyes away from him when he's on screen. JRM has the It Factor that so many actors strive for. I think the backstory of Dracula as a faux-American entrepreneur and doctor Van Helsing one of his confidantes is a great spin. It's fresh enough to hold my attention and leave me wanting more.

Little Women (1994)

An adaptation that would make Alcott proud

[10/10 · 30 September 2013]

Little Women remains one of my all-time favorite films. I first saw it as a child (after having loved the 1949 version) and this film completely opened up the world of the March sisters for me. Not to knock the previous two big screen adaptations, but they don't come close to conveying the happiness, heartbreak, and nostalgia that Little Women of 1994 does. What is so refreshing about this film is the truth and realism of the book. The actresses don't wear makeup, they don't speak in melodramatic tones; the men aren't playboys or Rhett Butlers. The writing and acting feels natural and true to Alcott's novel - which makes the sisters' victories and losses all the more authentic to the viewer. This is a wonderful movie to watch with your family to teach them values of love, friendship, and loyalty.

Sierra (1950)

Solid Murphy film with great supporting cast

[8/10 · 3 October 2011]

I'm always fascinated by a movie star's early work and even more so with Audie Murphy because this was just 5 years after his heroics in WWII. It's amazing to think how much transition this young man went through in only a handful of years. Murphy is a natural fit for Westerns with his quiet manner and brooding looks. Sierra is not often shown on television, but if you have the chance to catch it, you won't be disappointed. I'd say watch for Burl Ives alone, because his voice was timeless. Such beautiful simple little Western melodies are peppered throughout the film. What's also unique about Sierra is that Murphy is costarred by his then-wife Wanda Hendrix. Their marriage didn't last long, but their chemistry is very obvious. And keep your eyes peeled for a young Anthony "Tony" Curtis as a Coulter gang member.

Wuthering Heights (2009)

Excellent adaptation of Bronte's doomed love story

[10/10 · 20 February 2009]

Yes, I have seen several versions of Wuthering Heights, the 1939 version holding a special place in my heart. But this adaptation caught me from the opening credits and did not let go long after it ended. This is not your grandma's Wuthering Heights, let's put it that way. It's dark, deadly, and haunting. Much credit for the success of this version goes to Tom Hardy as Heathcliff. Hardy's range as an actor gives new depth to Bronte's anti-hero. You see what a great man he could have become if not for Hindley's torturous treatment of him and Cathy's snobbish refusals. The scenes with Heathcliff and Cathy as young lovers are beautiful and true -- the chemistry between these two actors is scorching. But once Heathcliff turns down the road of cruelty and revenge, it's a slippery slope. Hardy's deep voice and stealth mannerisms give you the impression of a tiger waiting to strike. What I really liked in this version was Charlotte Riley's portrayal of Cathy. She isn't a tantrum-throwing caricature. She gives Cathy a likable earthiness that we can identify with even as she makes dreadful choices. The score, the cinematography, the secondary characters, everything is perfect. It may not be for everyone, but this adaptation is one that does the novel justice.